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M related decisions --including plan amendment and rezoning decisions. While all comprehensive plan objectives and policies are important, some have more applicability than others in reviewing plan amendment and rezoning requests. Of particular applicability for this request are the following objectives and policies. - Future Land Use Element Policy 13.3 In evaluating a land use amendment request, the most important consideration is Future Land Use Element Policy 13.3. This policy requires that one of three criteria be met in order to approve a land use amendment request. These criteria are: • a mistake in the approved plan; • an oversight in the approved plan; or • a substantial change in circumstances affecting the subject property. Based upon its analysis, staff feels that the proposed land use amendment meets policy 13.3's third criterion. On February 13, 1990, when the current comprehensive plan was adopted, the subject property was in private ownership. At that time the site was correctly designated as L-2. Since then, the site has been purchased for conservation purposes by the county. The acquisition of the site by a public body constitutes a substantial change in circumstances affecting the subject property and meets the third criterion of Future Land Use Element Policy 13.3. Therefore, the proposed amendment is consistent with Future Land Use Element Policy 13.3. - Future Land Use Element Policy 1.4 Future Land Use Element Policy 1.4 states that the Conservation land use designations are applied to lands which play a vital or essential role in the normal functioning of ecosystems, or merit preservation as vestiges of once common county ecosystems. As an important part of the Scrub Habitat ecosystem, the subject property meets both of these criteria. For this reason, the request is consistent with Future Land Use Element Policy 1.4. - Future Land Use Element Policy 1.5 Future Land Use Element Policy 1.5 limits the . C- 1 `- land use' designation to publicly owned land with conservati'dii and/or recreational uses. Since the site is publicly owned, and uses will be limited to conservation and recreation, the property is eligible for the C-1 land use designation. For this reason, the request is consistent with Future Land Use Element Policy 1.5. As part of the staff analysis, all policies in the comprehensive plan were considered. Based upon this analysis, staff determined that the proposed land use designation amendment is consistent with the comprehensive plan. Potential Impact on Environmental Ouality The site's existing land use designations offer limited environmental protections. Residential development on the subject property would be required to preserve only 15 percent of the site, or 16.65 acres. In contrast, under the proposed amendment the entire site would be preserved, and development would be limited to conservation and compatible passive recreational uses. Although the site is publicly owned and could be developed as a public park under the existing land use designations and zoning districts, the proposed amendment provides the site with additional protection from development. By prohibiting most types of development on the site, the proposed request will ensure that the environmental quality of the site will be preserved. For these reasons, the proposed amendment is anticipated to positively impact the environmental quality of the subject property. CONCLUSION Based on the analysis, staff has determined that the proposed amendment is consistent with the comprehensive plan, compatible with all surrounding land uses, will cause no adverse impacts on the provision of public services, and will positively impact the environment. For these reasons, staff supports the request. NOVEMBER 12, 1996 83 BOOK 99 F'AGE 748